


The Great Divide Chapter 25: Better Days/The Great Divide

by Antigravity_Carnivore



Series: The Great Divide [25]
Category: Breaking Benjamin (Band), STARSET (Band)
Genre: Emotional Hurt, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, F/M, Falling In Love, Friendship/Love, Love, M/M, Unrequited Love, Wedding Fluff, Weddings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-10
Updated: 2018-03-10
Packaged: 2019-03-29 07:54:56
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 19,778
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13922727
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Antigravity_Carnivore/pseuds/Antigravity_Carnivore
Summary: Finally, the wedding of Thomas and Lizzie





	The Great Divide Chapter 25: Better Days/The Great Divide

I stood in front of the mirror, fiddling with my bow tie. No matter how I tried to straighten it, I just couldn't get it right. It hung down a little to the left, or a little to the right, never perfect as I would expect it to me. Giving up on it, I straightened up my back and gazed at my reflection in the mirror. It had been only a month since our escape from the F.E.C. Base and the confrontation with Burnley, but so much had changed in those passing weeks. Prox was undergoing a massive change from the barren, desert wasteland that it once was, to a lush, beautiful green planet that it was meant to be. Where there had been massive canyons, there were now vast rivers, where there had been open plains of rocks and sand, there was now green valleys and hills. The destruction of the Everything Machine meant that the resources were no longer being depleted, and the planet was quick to recover from the wounds that had been struck against it.

Today felt like a warm spring day back on Earth. Some of the wildlife had returned, including the birds who were chirping happily outside of my window. The sunlight filtered in and bathed everything in the room in a warm soft glow. A gentle breeze began to blow through the meadow just beyond the perimeter of the Shallow Bay where a crude stone path had been laid out which led down to where a gentle stream was bubbling. This beautiful, serene setting almost made me forget that I was on a different planet, in a different time.

Behind me, I heard the door open up, and Ben walked in. He was dressed in his simple, yet familiar outfit of tight fitting black pants and a fitted black button down shirt with the Shallow Bay logo on the left sleeve. I greeted him with a kiss. “Is it time?” I asked.

Smiling at me, he nodded and picked up one of my hands, kissing each of my fingers. “Yes, he's waiting for us. I think he might be a little nervous. We might have to do some confidence boosting to get him out the door.” Ben laughed.

Holding onto Ben's hand, I led him towards the door. “Thomas is just getting married to Lizzie, what's the big deal anyway?” I asked.

Ben rolled his eyes and made a funny face, following behind me. “You've been married before, Dustin. Weren't you just a little anxious saying your vows in front of your wife?”

“Huh? In front of Crystal? Hell no. The only thing that made me nervous around her is whether or not I showed up with my bow-tie crooked and she would get pissed off about it because it didn't look perfect... because that would have ruined her photos.” I laughed.

As we made it through the door, Ben stopped and pulled me back to him for a moment with a serious expression on his face. I raised an eyebrow, looking at him curiously. He pointed to my neck. “Dustin, your bow-tie is crooked.”

“Ben, you're an asshole.”

Walking though the corridors of the Shallow Bay, we stopped to talk to a few of the new members that had joined us since the downfall of the F.E.C. With all the spies flushed out thanks to the information that Thomas had retrieved, more people were coming out of hiding, wanting to help us restore the planet to its former glory. The messengers were becoming less military now and more social. The soldiers had put away their weapons and picked up shovels and hammers, building new homes for those who had never had one before. The prisons in the basements were turned into food storage to prepare in advance for any sort of natural disaster. Since we didn't know what would happen at any given time, we knew that we had to be ready for anything. Spearheading and leading all of this was Thomas Bell.

Benjamin tapped on the door with his knuckles, refusing to use the electronic paging system that was installed on all the private quarters. He still liked the way that things used to be, and I couldn't blame him for that. I missed the past as well. The door slid open and Thomas stood there, looking pale and a little green. “Hey Ben, Dustin. Come on in.” Stepping to the side, he let us pass him and enter into the room that he and Lizzie had shared. What once was a plain, drab ordinary room was now transformed, filled with light and life, the walls covered in beautiful paintings that Lizzie had done herself. She had taken up botany while Thomas worked in restoring order to Prox, and using old text books borrowed from Dawn, learned about how to grow small plants and other vegetation. There were cups and glass beakers of all shapes and sizes that she had 'borrowed' from the infirmary filled to the brim with flowers. Thomas was dressed in similar fashion to Ben, simple, but still elegant; he added an old fashioned button up military jacket to his attire, to make it a little more formal. He pointed to some colorful, clipped off flowers, roses which had pins stuck in them that were neatly laid out across the dresser. “I have no idea what I am to do with these things, Lizzie left them for me and I think that we're supposed to wear them or something, but I can't figure it out. Selene's been filling her head with these ridiculous Earth traditions.”

Picking up one of the flowers, Ben shook his head. “Oh god, for fuck's sake Thomas it's a boutonniere! Come over here and I will show you how it goes on.” Grabbing the lapel of Thomas's jacket, Ben neatly pinned the flower in place, and then stepped back to admire his handiwork. “Not bad, if I say so. At least it's not crooked like your bow-tie, Dustin.”

I flipped him the bird and went to the mirror, trying desperately once again to fix the damn thing.

“Hey, thanks for agreeing to do this with me guys.” Thomas said, glancing out the window. “When I asked Lizzie to marry me, I expected to just put a ring on her finger and be done with it. I never imagined that she would actually want something like this. I mean, is this really all necessary? I love her, isn't that enough?”

“It is sort of necessary, Thomas, but not for the reasons that you think it is.” I said, as I picked up one of the flowers and pinned it onto to Ben. “We've all been through a lot. What happened to us back at the F.E.C. Base was hell, pure and simple hell. There were so many times when I didn't think that we were going to make it out... but we did. After being at war against them for so long, it's nice to have one simple moment of peace. This ceremony isn't about you and Lizzie starting your lives together, it's about Prox and all of its people coming back to life. I can't think of a better way to celebrate our victory than having two people totally mad about one another standing out there in that meadow, proclaiming their love for one another. It's perfect.”

“Yeah, you're probably right.” Thomas said, moving to sit down on the bed. “I just don't like all the attention.” He smiled and his face lit up with joy. “Hey wait a second, since this is such a 'good idea' then why not make it even better. You and Ben have been cozying up to one another a lot lately, and it's kind of obvious that you two are a thing, so why not make it a double wedding! I mean we got the time, and it's a beautiful spring day out there! The people would love it!”

Turning around, Ben scowled at him. “I think one go around at marriage is enough for me. I am perfectly content right now and I don't feel the need to change anything, anytime soon.”

Thomas frowned. “Aww come on! How about you, Dustin? Wouldn't you love to call Benjamin your husband?”

Before I could answer him, there was a buzz at the door. Thomas got up off the bed to answer it, but Ben walked by and pushed him back down with one simple flick of his wrist. Thomas retaliated by picking up a pillow and throwing it at him.

Upon reaching the door, Ben opened it and looked out into the hall, while Thomas and I waited to see who was interrupting us. A few seconds passed and then Ben turned around, coming back into the room. The jovial look on his face was gone, replaced by a flat, blank expression. “Ben, who was it, is something wrong?” I asked, curious.

Ben shook his head and stepped aside as the door opened wider, letting the guest in. My heart stopped. Standing there behind him was Brock. “Oh my god!”

He looked almost the same as he did when I last saw him, those deep brown eyes setting off the sharp, angular features of a face that seemed a little less worn and tired. Wearing a simple black leather jacket that looked vaguely familiar and dark colored pants, he casually stood motionless, with his hands in his pockets, looking like he belonged there. I ran over to him, wanting to put my arms around him and hug him tightly, but I held back. I simply couldn’t believe that it was him, I had doubts that this was the same man standing before me that I was forced to say a very painful goodbye to. We all wanted to ask questions, right away, but no one did. Even Thomas showed restraint. “It’s good to see you again.” I said, stumbling over the words.

He shrugged and smiled. “I wanted to be here for Lizzie.”

Thomas stood up and went over to Brock, extending his hand. Brock took his hand and shook it. I could see that the hard cast that had been so crudely and quickly placed on it to hold his broken bones together was gone now, but there was still something obviously wrong with his hand. His fingers were slightly crooked and looked painful as he stretched them out. Only a month had passed, how had he healed so quickly? “This will mean a lot to her that you are here, Brock. You’ve been a brother to her for so long, she missed you so much.”

Behind me, Ben spoke up, moving forward and doing what I couldn’t do. He reached out and hugged Brock. “We’ve all missed you.” He said. I felt a pang of jealousy and awkwardness run through me. Brock wrapped his arms around Ben’s massive frame, giving him a light pat on the back. I was the only one who didn’t touch him. I couldn’t do it. As Ben let him go, I saw Brock’s eyes fall on me expectantly but I looked away. “Lizzie is getting ready in a room down the hall with Selene. Dustin, why don’t you take Brock to go see her now so that she’s not so surprised when she walks out? Thomas and I can head outside and greet the guests. Aaron and a few men from Dawn should be arriving soon; I’d like to talk to them.” Ben suggested. I knew exactly what he was doing, Ben was trying to give Brock and I some time alone. I didn’t understand why neither him or Thomas bothered to ask Brock how he could possibly be here. Why were they avoiding the question? I had to find out. I refused to turn a blind eye to it. 

 

“Sure thing Ben.” I walked past Brock and made my way out into the hall and motioned for him to follow. Brock hesitated for a moment and then followed me out, letting the door slide shut behind him. “It’s just down the hall here.” I said, pointing at the corridor in front of us. “Lizzie’s been spending a lot of time with Selene during the last month, helping her out with her injuries. She was burned pretty badly but has made a quick recovery. I think it’s because she feels the need to look after all of us like a mother. Trying to make up for lost time.” I laughed nervously, trying to make idle conversation. 

I noticed that Brock did not laugh along with me. He was still sullen and downcast, a mere shadow of his former self. It didn’t feel like the same person I knew once before. We walked a few more feet and then he stopped, reaching out and took hold of my arm. “I didn’t just come here for Lizzie.”

Looking down at his fingers wrapped around my wrist, my heart began to beat furiously and for some odd reason I wanted to run. It took every bit of courage that I had to stand my ground. I was upset with Ben for putting me in this situation, and made a mental note to speak to him later. “Then why did you come back, Brock?” I don’t know why I asked the question, the answer was obvious, but I just wanted to hear him say it.

He let go of my wrist. “I came back here for you. I wanted to see you again.”

“Do you honestly expect that you can walk back in here, after everything that has happened and pick up right where we left off? No. I can’t accept that Brock. I suffered with losing you for so long, and I refuse to even believe that you’re here now.” I tried my best to keep my voice down and stay calm. Today wasn’t a day for confrontation and accusations. I sighed, taking off my glasses and rubbing my eyes. “What happened back there? You’re supposed to be dead!”

“I can’t tell you.”

“Can’t or won’t? Brock come on! You went back for Burnley into a building that was going to explode. There is no way in hell you could have possibly lived through that.” I stopped for a moment; I was letting myself get drawn into something I was not prepared for. All the old feelings came flooding in like a tidal wave and I felt my hands starting to shake. “Unless you didn’t go back.” I caught his eyes and held them in an accusing gaze. “You stayed outside and watched the place burn.”

“Fuck you, Dustin! Burnley… died in my arms before the base exploded.” Looking into his eyes, I saw painful, raw emotion there and I instantly regretted my harsh words. “I sat there with him until the very end! I stayed right there with him while the whole place crashed down around us. I didn’t abandon him, I couldn’t do that.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you Brock. It’s just that I thought you were dead. You have to understand that you being here now is a little unbelievable.” I said, trying my best to diffuse the situation. I sighed, getting completely fed up by not getting answers. “You walk in that door and expect us to greet you as if nothing happened, but I can’t do that. They can turn a blind eye to it, but not me. All I want to know is how you made it out of there alive?” 

Brock leaned back against the wall tilting his head up and looked away from me. “You’re right, Dustin. I should never have come back here. I knew that there would be too many questions. You just can’t accept that I am here, can you? I never expected you, of all people to be this confrontational. I thought.. I thought.. that maybe you’d be happy to see me again.” He sighed and then turned to walk away, pausing in front of me. “But you should know that I didn’t come back here for you.” He pointed towards Lizzie’s door. “I came back here for her.” He looked at me with those deep brown eyes and I knew instantly that I was in the wrong for being so forward and demanding of him. “I’d suggest that you don’t even tell her I was here, tell the others not to mention it either. It would only break her heart.”

He walked away, leaving me with a feeling of guilt once again. Something had happened to him that changed him, he was no longer the quiet, shy boy that I met all those years ago, the love sick puppy who followed me around everywhere I went. He was his own person now, free from the shackles of dependence, and it frightened me to see this, because I realized that he no longer needed me. I didn’t understand how he was here, it was obvious that he wasn’t ready to talk about it, and I had no right trying to force it out of him. He came here to see Lizzie, and my stubbornness and arrogance was driving him away. “Brock, wait!” I called after him. He had almost reached the exit when he heard me call to him. Part of me expected him to not turn around but instead, open the door and walk out of our lives once and for all. I couldn’t let that happen. Not again.

I ran up to him, just as he had his hand on the door. “Brock, wait. I am sorry, that was completely out of line and uncalled for. Please stay. I promise that I won’t ask any more questions, and neither will the others. We want you here with us, even if it’s just for a short time. You belong here.”

Still holding onto the door, he looked at me over his shoulder. “And what about you, Dustin? Are you going to be okay with me being here?”

I smiled at him. “I think you being here is the best thing in the world, Brock.” It was a half truth. I was happy with him here, but I had to know how he escaped from the base. It just seemed a little too convenient for me. I had a sudden vision in my head of Brock walking out of that place just before it exploded, carrying Burnley to safety, and it made me shudder. If Brock had made it out, there was a possibility that Burnley did too, and that he was lying to me. No… this couldn’t be. Brock would never do such a thing. I had to take his word for it. 

He let go of the door handle and reached out, wrapping his arms around me, pulling me in to a warm embrace. It felt like a huge weight had been lifted off my chest. The awkwardness between us had evaporated as well as any lingering feelings of betrayal and hate, just like that, leaving only a close feeling of friendship behind. I was stupid to even consider Brock covering up for Burnley. This was Brock… my best friend, whom I had known and loved for so long. I had faith in him. Feeling him in my arms again was somewhat therapeutic. He needed this moment just as much as I needed it, the very last stitch of fate that brought us back together.

Finally letting him go, I took a moment to collect myself and then started to lead him back down the corridor to Lizzie’s room. He stood to the side of the hall while I buzzed the door. Selene answered with a smile, looking beautiful. Her long, dark curly hair had grown back, thanks to special medical advances, framing her face with perfect shadows and highlights. Most of her scars had faded, but still feeling a bit self-conscious, she chose to keep herself modestly dressed to hide them. Today, she had chosen an elegant black lace dress that was eerily similar to the F.E.C. coat that she liked to wear. Short in the front and long in the back, it clung against her body, showing off her shapely figure. Instead of the heavy combat boots that she was accustom to, she choose high heeled black Victorian boots. Waving me in with one gloved hand, she leaned in to give me a quick kiss on the cheek and peek behind me. “Thomas isn’t with you, is he?” She asked. “It’s unlucky for the groom to see the bride before the wedding.”

“No, not Thomas.” I stepped aside and she saw Brock standing beside me.

Her eyes filled up with tears and she ran to him, wrapping her arms around his chest and hugging him tightly. “It’s about time you got back here. I was worried about you!” She took a step away from him. “Let me see you, good lord I never noticed how tall and thin you were. Good thing you made it back in time for the wedding. I’ve been giving the chef’s instructions on how to make ice cream. You can have all that you want after the ceremony.”

“Wait, Selene… you aren’t shocked to see him?” I asked curiously. Her choice of words confused me.

She slipped one arm around his waist and leaned against him, smiling with pride. “Of course not! I can’t explain it, but sometimes I just know things about people. A few days ago, I started thinking about Brock again, and I swear that I could ‘feel’ his presence around me again. It was like a breath of fresh air. I never tell anyone about these feelings because most people don’t understand it and think I am a lunatic or something. But I knew that somehow he’d make his way back to us, and here he is.” Selene gave Brock a light swipe across the rear with her hand and let him go. “I am happy that you came back to us Brock.”

“I wouldn’t miss it for the world.” He said, giving her a light squeeze. “Where is Lizzie anyway?” he asked.

Stepping out from the bedroom, Lizzie stepped into the living room, just as a cloud that was hanging over the sun moved away, flooding the room with a soft, natural glow. “I am right here.” Both Brock and I couldn’t help but to stare at the heavenly vision before us. Selene had curled Lizzie’s normally straight hair into small ringlet curls which were adorned with sprigs of baby’s breath and miniature roses carefully braided in. Her dress was not white, but a shimmering ivory color that caught the light every time that she moved. Selene had hand sewn it herself during her recovery, saying that using a needle and thread was much needed therapy for her injured hands. Some of the other women from the Shallow Bay had donated pieces of scrap lace from dresses that they had once owned, and each bit no matter how small or large, Selene had incorporated into the hemline of the gown, so that when Lizzie walked, the material flowed out around her legs making it look almost like she was underwater and floating. Lizzie blushed, noticing us staring at her. “Do I look silly?” She asked, looking a bit worried.

“Not at all, Lizzie, you look absolutely radiant.” I replied.

Brock went over to her and gave her a gentle kiss on the top of her head, and she immediately stood up on her tip toes and returned his kiss with one of her own, on his cheek. Brock made a goofy face at her and they both burst out into laughter. Hearing this almost made my heart break. This is what I had waited for, for so long. The chance for us all to be together. “I am glad you’re here, Brock. Selene told me that we’d see you again one day, but I didn’t think it would be so soon. Everyone missed you so much. Now that you’re here, everything feels complete, like it should be.”

 

“Well almost complete...I think that you are missing something, Lizzie.” Brock said to her. I saw the expression on her face change to a serious one.

“I don’t possibly know what that could be.” She said meekly.

“Turn around Lizzie.” Brock said. Lizzie did as she was told, and turned away from him, facing a large, ornate antique mirror and watched his movements behind her. He motioned for Selene to come close to him and she joined him at his side. Pulling something from his pocket, he revealed it to her and Selene gasped.

Lizzie tried to look over her shoulder to see what he had, but she couldn’t get a good view. “What! What is it?” She asked anxiously.

“Selene, I think you should do this.” Brock said, offering her the item.

Shaking her head, Selene smiled at him, and pushed his hand back. “No. You saved it and brought it back. You should have the honors.”

Nodding to her, Brock reached up to the back of Lizzie’s head and pulled together a few pieces of stray hair, gathering them into a tight braid. As his fingers danced along the curls of her hair, Lizzie watched his reflection in the mirror and noticed a look of sadness on his face. His hand shook slightly with fingers that wouldn’t quite cooperate, as he brought the silver, crescent moon hair pin up and clipped it in perfect place. The shimmering strands of stars and crystals cascaded down, blending in with the white flowers, making her even more ethereal than before. Lizzie turned around and took hold of Brock’s hands which were still trembling. “Thank you Brock.” She whispered to him. “This means more to me than you will never know.” Overcome with emotion, all he could do was smile. She ran her fingers over his hands, trying to comfort him. “And I have a favor to ask of you.”

“What is it, Lizzie?”

“Brock, you have been an important part of my life for so long now. You were the one who set me free from the F.E.C., and told me that I should follow my dreams, no matter how impossible they might seem, I should never give up on them.” Lizzie drew in a breath, feeling butterflies forming in her stomach. “I will never be able to thank you for believing in me, and in Thomas, when no one else would. So it would mean a lot to me, if you would be the one to walk me down the aisle?”

Brock looked back at me for a moment, and I could see the same hint of sorrow there in his eyes. Something was bothering him. “I’d love to.” He finally said with a smile.

“Oh wait! There’s one thing you’re going to need.” She went into the bedroom and came back in a few moments carrying a bundle of fresh cut roses that she had plucked from her own personal garden just outside the window. Each of the beautiful long stemmed roses were carefully wrapped in the same ivory satin that her dress was made of, with long tendrils of streamers hanging down from them. With delicate fingers, she plucked one of them out of her bouquet and added a bit of baby’s breath from her hair and brought it over to Brock, carefully pinning it on his lapel. “There. Now you fit in perfectly.”

Glancing down at the digital clock on the desk, Selene came forward and slightly adjusted Lizzie’s hair. “I think it’s almost time. Are you ready for this?”

I saw a smile a mile wide creep over Lizzie’s face as she clutched the bouquet of flowers in her hand. “I’ve been ready for this moment all my life.”

Selene opened the door and waved me out. “You better get back to Thomas and make sure that he is ready to go. You know how distracted he can get at times.”

“Are you kidding? Ben’s with him. If Thomas so much as took one step out of line, Ben would pick him up and drag him out there himself if he had to.”

Waiting patiently, Selene pointed to the door again and I made my way out. I made my exit and turned around to look back at Brock who was speaking quietly to Lizzie. She started crying, and nodded a few times, but I couldn’t make out what he had said to her. He took hold of her hands, and I saw that she reached out to touch his fingers very gently. The tears ran down her cheeks, and Brock reached out to hug her again. Without warning, Selene shut the door in my face. Whatever he had said to her was meant for the two of them in private.

Walking down through the corridors, I made my way outside to the meadow clearing where most of the staff, family and friends from the Shallow Bay had gathered. It was a beautiful day outside, the sun was shining, and there were birds flying overhead chirping happily. Unlike traditional weddings on Earth, there were no lines of white painted chairs draped with ribbons for the guests to sit on. Lizzie insisted that everyone stand, and surround them as they said their vows, because these were the people of Prox, who stood by their side and fought with them. She wanted to show respect and have them presented as her equals, and not just mere guests. Thomas and Ben were standing under a makeshift arch that had been constructed from iron and steel that had been pulled off the windows of the base. There was no need for such precautions anymore. The bent metal of the arch zigzagged in various directions high overhead, adorned with various bits of clover and wildflowers that had recently sprung up among the tall grass near the base. As I approached them, I noticed that Thomas was unusually calm and focused. “Where’s Brock?” he asked.

“Lizzie wanted him to walk her down the aisle. I said, looking around. There were a lot more people here than I imagined, and a few that I had never seen before. Then I spotted Aaron hurrying through the crowd, rushing toward us. I had a bad feeling. He went right to Ben.

“Sorry I am late. Can you spare a few men, I need your help with something. It’s urgent.” I looked at Ben, waiting for him to react harshly at Aaron’s request, but he remained composed.

“What do you need?” Ben asked.

Aaron motioned and his men brought a heavy duty truck around to the ceremony area. Everyone was shocked and appalled at this sudden rude interruption, until they saw what was being hauled on the back. Several massive faux trees had been sculpted out of the liquid metal, with beautiful shimmering leaves of the brightest silver attached to their branches that swayed in the wind. “I had my men working on these day and night to have them ready in time. Fortunately they just finished a few hours ago. These structures are made from the steel that had once been the remains of your old messenger base, Thomas. I thought they might spruce up the place a little bit.”

Thomas walked over to them as the men quickly scrambled into action, placing the silver and white trees around the meadow. They glistened and gleamed in the bright mid-day sun, shimmering with brilliance. The entire meadow now was full of silver, white and green color, a drastic change from the harsh desert sands that been there only a few short weeks prior. “They are beautiful!” he said, complete taken back in awe at the sight. “Thank you.”

“Wait, it gets better. They are also solar powered. Once the sun goes down, the bio-reactive ‘leaves’ on each branch will start to glow and twinkle just like something out of a fairy tale story. So tonight after the sun goes down, the ceremony doesn’t have to end. You can stay out here for as long as you like, underneath the light and stars.”

As the truck pulled away and all the trees were in place, Ben gave Aaron a light pat on the arm. “Thanks man, this is fantastic.”

“Aw, it’s nothing. Lizzie and Thomas are the first couple to get married on Prox in greater than 20-30 years. I just want to see them happy; they hold our future in their hands.” He looked up and caught sight of Selene standing in the door way. “I think we are being told to get on with it.” He laughed and smiled one last time at Ben before wandering off and becoming lost in the crowd.

Ben took his place underneath the arch, Thomas stood next to him, and I took my place on his side. A hush fell over the crowd. Beautiful blue and green songbirds that had started to circle overhead came down and landed in the silver trees, chirping brightly as Selene stepped out of the base, holding a small bouquet of white roses in her gloved hands. She looked a little uncomfortable with everyone staring at her, and I thought that I noticed her trying to reach up and pull her hood over her face out of habit, but her dress today didn’t have one. Her scarred skin was exposed and everyone could see the devastation that had been done to her… but no one cared. Taking slow steps, not quite used to the high heels that she was wearing, she slowly made her way down to the arch, joining us with a nervous smile. Ben gave her a comforting look and she relaxed a little. Then they all turned back towards the doors. Two of Lizzie’s nurse friends spread the doors open wide for her, as she stepped outside arm and arm with Brock at her side, into the sunlight. Next to me, Thomas let out a gasp and started to waver a bit, but I placed my hand on his back, letting him know I was there and he felt a little more at ease. At first she seemed a little wary, and anxious, unsure of taking the first step towards her new life, but Brock held onto her and guided her over the threshold with an immense look of pride on his face.

As she walked through the lines of her friends, Lizzie took her time and made eye contact with each and every single one of them. So many good people died at the hands of the F.E.C. but these people fought on, believing that they would be saved, putting their trust and lives into the hands of two young people. And now, here at the end of all things, they had finally found their happiness. As she descended nearer to the meadow, she wrapped her small hand around Brock’s arm a little tighter, and he leaned in to whisper something to her. Her eyes lit up with joy. Taking one small step at a time, he led her to the arch, where her future husband was anxiously waiting. Brock looked Thomas for a moment, still holding onto Lizzie’s arm. He wasn’t quite ready to give her up yet. I had to force myself to breathe. It was so surreal.

Taking a deep breath, Ben’s baritone voice boomed out though the plains, carried far and wide by the little gusts of wind that moved the brightly colored ribbons used to tie the flowers on the arch. “Let’s be honest here. I know that you’re all waiting for me to start with that ‘dearly beloved’ crap here, but I am not going to do it. That’s only used for a traditional wedding on Earth. Well, Earth is gone. We’re all here on Prox now, and I think that you will agree with me that Thomas and Lizzie aren’t a traditional couple. So I am going to do my best by you all, and by them to not subject them to that boring bullshit and just speak from the heart.” 

I heard whispers of agreement and low, hushed voices making comments about Ben and it made me smile. These people knew him well, and trusted him as a leader once before. They all had great respect for the man; even though he had appeared on Prox through strange circumstances, each of them, myself included would easily give up their lives for him. I was so proud to call him mine.

 

"Finding love in itself is a blessing, especially when all we've been surrounded with is death and destruction. But the couple who stands before me now is truly a unique couple. Somehow, through all that has happened, they have managed to find a way to stay true to one another and keep that love alive, even when the night seemed darkest and the future was uncertain." Ben looked at Brock. "Brock Richards, will you stand as approval for this couple to be joined together today?"

 

"On behalf of her family and friends, I will." Ben nodded to Brock, and Brock leaned in to gently kiss Lizzie on the cheek. She smiled at him. Taking hold of her small hand, Brock turned to Thomas and placed it in his. As the couples fingers intertwined, Brock whispered to Thomas. “It's your turn to take care of her, Thomas.”

“I promise, I will.”

Moving over behind Selene, Brock took his place and the scene was set. The six of us stood there underneath the archway, at the end of one chapter of our lives and the beginning of the next. We had fought so hard to be where we were now, but we made it, all of us... we made it through.

Looking at the couple in front of him with approval, Ben quietly started to speak. He didn't need a microphone, or anything else to make his words heard, everyone was listening, hanging on every single word spoken. “Love is what we all share. It’s the great unifier — our one universal truth. That no matter who we are, where we’ve come from, what we believe, we know this one thing: love is what we’re doing right. That’s why you both are standing here. That’s why you all are here to watch them stand up here. We have all loved in our lifetimes, and in this moment, we’re reminded that the ability to love is the very best part of our humanity, and this is something that no one can take away from us. Thomas and Lizzie, do you both stand here in front of your family and friends willing and freely with the intent to declare your love for one another?”

Exchanging a quick glance at one another, they spoke in unison. “We do”. The sound of both of their voices as one gave me chills, and I could feel the tears start to form in my eyes.

“Will you promise to care for one another in joys and sorrows of life, and cherish one another for eternity?”

“We will.”

“Please turn to one another and recite your vows.”

Thomas spoke first, holding onto Lizzie's hands tightly, his voice low and slightly nervous. “Lizzie, I've always had goals, aspirations, things I wanted to do. There’s no way that I could deny my legacy. I certainly had a lot of expectations to live up to.” Thomas glanced over to Selene for a moment and she gave him a warm smile. “But when I met you, I learned what it was to dream. You dreamed of a world without war, a world of nature and beauty, and a world where could go to sleep every night and not fear the coming dawn. These were the dreams that you wanted, not just for yourself, but for everyone around you, and I wanted to make them come true for you. I was afraid I might fail, and that all of these things would never come to be, but they did. Now here we are, standing together with all those dreams fading away and becoming reality. I feel truly blessed because I've found a love that transcends and grows just like the world around us, and so to you, I vow to have the patience that love demands, to speak when words are needed and to share in the silence when they are not…and to make every single one of your dreams come true, from this day forward.”

A soft gentle breeze blew Lizzie's hair in front of her face, and she paused to push one of the delicate curls away from her eyes. “Thomas, before I met you, I never knew what love was, I didn't believe in it, it was something as absurd and strange to me as the idea of water falling from the sky. That all changed the moment I saw you, out there in the desert for the first time. You ran to me and put your arms around me and told me that everything was going to be okay. I was so enchanted by your wonder and gentle ways, that I never doubted you for a second. You made me believe in six impossible things. You, me, Brock, Benjamin, Dustin and Selene.” Lizzie paused for a moment to look at each of us in turn. “You know me better than anyone else in this world and somehow still you manage to love me. You are my best friend and one true love. There is still a part of me today that cannot believe that I'm the one who gets to marry you. I vow to give you everything that I am. My dreams and my fears. My triumphs and my failures. I trust you, and will always endeavor to be worthy of your trust in me. If we face times of struggle and hardship, you can depend on me to support and protect you, no matter what the cost.”

 

A quiet hush fell over the crowd; as they were carried away by the couples beautiful vows to one another. After a few moments, Ben spoke again. “No one knows Lizzie and Thomas better than they know each other. They have made a promise to one another, here in front of family and friends, with their words and heartfelt thoughts, so that we can all bear witness to the love that they share...but just like the sunlight at the end of each day, and the memories through time, those words will fade and be forgotten. So to remind us of them, and keep them in our thoughts, we exchange symbols of that love and devotion, in the form of rings. They are small material things laden with promises; hopes and dreams attached to them, and will never be removed.” Benjamin looked at the couple before him. “Thomas, Lizzie, are you ready to seal your love with the exchange of rings?”

Thomas looked at Ben in a panic. “Ugh...Benjamin...we don't... have....”

This was my cue. I stepped forward. “Yes you do.” Reaching into my pocket, I withdrew a neatly folded up piece of paper and handed it to Benjamin who slowly unfolded it, revealing two silver wedding rings.

“I don't understand.” Thomas said. “How.. where did you get those? We didn't have time to manufacture anything.”

Lizzie put her hand over her mouth. “Benjamin! You're not wearing your ring!”

Smiling at them, Ben shook his head. “It was Dustin's idea.”

“No, it was our idea.” I said, correcting him. “We wanted to give you something that you could carry with you forever, something which already had outlasted the boundaries of time and space. Ben’s ring carries so many old memories with it, that we thought it would be nice for new ones to be forged into it. The flames melted the silver down, and we mixed it with other salvaged materials to create two brand new pieces so that you each will have a part of us wherever your journeys may lead you.”

“Oh Dustin, this is too much!” Lizzie leaned over and gave me a kiss on the cheek, while Thomas gave Ben an unexpected hug.

“That's what friends do for one another.” I casually looked over to Brock and Selene, who were watching with tears of joy welling up in their eyes. Returning to my place behind Thomas once again, Ben took one of the newly reforged wedding bands and offered it to Thomas, who he took it with clumsy, shaking fingers.

Lizzie handed her bouquet to Selene for a moment and stretched out her hand, her cheeks were rosy red, and the expression on her face was one of wonder and delight.

“Thomas, repeat after me. I Thomas Bell, take you Lizzie McCarthy to be my partner for life, I promise above all else to live in truth with you and to communicate fully and fearlessly, I give you my hand and my heart as a sanctuary of warmth and peace and pledge my love, devotion, faith and honor as I join my life to yours.”

Taking hold of Lizzie's left hand, Thomas gazed deeply into her eyes, repeating Ben's words. “I Thomas Bell, take you Lizzie McCarthy to be my partner for life, I promise above all else to live in truth with you and to communicate fully and fearlessly, I give you my hand and my heart as a sanctuary of warmth and peace and pledge my love, devotion, faith and honor as I join my life to yours.” He slid the ring onto her finger, fitting it perfectly in place, shining brightly in the noon sunlight. 

Ben offered Lizzie the remaining ring and she took it from him, gazing at all imperfections and flaws in it, thinking that it was the most beautiful piece of jewelry in the universe. “Lizzie, repeat after me. I Lizzie McCarthy, take you Thomas Bell to be my partner for life, I promise above all else to live in truth with you and to communicate fully and fearlessly, I give you my hand and my heart as a sanctuary of warmth and peace and pledge my love, devotion, faith and honor as I join my life to yours.” She looked at Ben for a moment, and he nodded to her, giving her the last bit of confidence she needed and placed the ring on Thomas's hand.

“You have made your marriage vows to one another, approved and witnessed by your friends and family. You have sealed your vows with the giving and receiving of these rings. So now, it's about damn time that I pronounce you husband and wife and invite you to kiss one another.”

Thomas stepped away from me, as Lizzie stepped away from Selene and they took each other's hands, holding on tightly and leaned in for the most beautiful, innocent kiss that I had ever witnessed in my entire life. Lizzie closed her eyes, lost in the moment as her ivory dress fluttered in the wind behind her. Thomas indulged himself in a second kiss, and Ben took a moment to clear his throat, obviously moved by the moment. “Ladies and gentlemen, it is my honor to present to you for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. Bell.” The guests clapped and cheered, showering the new couple with white rose petals. Laughing and smiling, Lizzie and Thomas moved in to greet each one of them to receive their blessings, with Selene keeping a watchful eye.

I saw Brock slip off by himself, and I started to follow him when Aaron stopped me. “Hey Dustin, that was a pretty good ceremony. Benjamin did an awesome job up there. I didn’t know that he did weddings.” He laughed.

“Yeah. That's Ben for you, he’s good at everything he does.” I replied, only half paying attention. I more concerned in where Brock was going off to. I tried looking over Aaron’s shoulder, through the crowd, but there were just too many people lurking about. 

“You know that Lizzie and Thomas have been paying frequent visits to our base every week, but I'd like it if the you and Benjamin came for a visit to Dawn. There are a lot of people there who are anxious to meet you. From the look of it, Thomas has gotten the hang of being Commander here, and since he doesn't need to rely on Benjamin so much now, maybe you guys can even stay with us for a while.” I could sense a tone in his voice that bothered me; something was going on at Dawn, but he wouldn’t come right out and say. Not today, anyway.

Before I could say anything Ben came over to join us, finally free of the swarm of guests. He had unbuttoned the collar of his shirt and already had a drink in his hand. “There are still a lot of things we need to sort out and take care of here first, before we can go on a holiday, Aaron.”

“Whatever you like, just don't be a stranger. There are a few people over there that are incredibly anxious to meet you....the both of you.” Aaron smiled his trademark good nature smile at us. I was beginning to get annoyed with his constant jovial attitude. This was the fifth offer he had made to us in the last month to get Ben and me to go to Dawn, and every single time, Ben refused him. When I pressed him as to the reason why, he got very quiet, and mentioned something about 'letting the past be'. I knew that he was hiding something, but decided that since we had already been through so much, that this wasn't a battle I was going to fight for. “Well you know where we are, and you're always welcome. If you will excuse me, I am going to go give my regards to the happy couple.” Waving to us, he made his way back through the crowd.

“You did great up there Ben.” I said to him. “Now I can see why Thomas put you in charge of the Messengers. You're great with people.”

Taking a long drink from his glass, Ben swallowed, letting the liquid run down his throat before speaking. He didn’t make eye contact with me, which I thought was odd.“Not really, I just fool you all into thinking that.” He laughed.

There was a sudden commotion behind us and as we turned around, I saw something coming at me, directly in my line of sight. Without thinking I reached out, putting my arms in front of me ind instinctively grabbing for it. The moment my fingers touched it, and the heavy scent filled the air, I knew instantly what it was. I had caught Lizzie's bouquet. The sea of people parted, and I saw Thomas and Lizzie laughing at me as I held the flowers rather awkwardly. “Well, looks like you're next, Dustin.” Thomas grinned. I laughed nervously and looked over to Ben, who had walked away.

As the sun started to set, and the beautiful, silver lights started twinkling into life, the Messengers brought out large, plush blankets to spread across the meadow. A large bonfire was set up and lit while some light refreshments were served. The sunset was something beautiful, painting the sky with hues of orange and purples. Everyone talked among themselves, lying on the new, fresh grass in the warm evening air. Ben had rejoined me, sitting down on one of the many blankets near the fire, staring at the crackling flames. He had lost the glass that he was drinking out of, having replaced it with an entire bottle instead. Together, we stared into the fire and I leaned in against him. “Today was a great day. Lizzie and Thomas are a really great couple. I am happy for them.”

Ben took a long drink from the bottle and looked over at them for a moment. “Yeah. They deserve each other.” I noticed that his voice was flat and monotone, and it greatly disturbed me. Off in the distance, there was a sudden loud explosion which made me jump. They were setting off fireworks.

“Ben, is something bothering you?” I asked cautiously.

“No.” He said, not looking at me. I immediately knew he was lying, I could tell by the tone and pitch in his voice. 

I frowned. “Then what's with all the drinking all of a sudden. You didn't touch the stuff since we got back here and now you've been at it since the ceremony ended. You know that it makes you sick. I don't like it.”

“I am celebrating, Dustin. Isn't that what you do when good things happen? You celebrate by stuffing your face with food and drinking copious amounts of alcohol?” He snapped back. 

I couldn’t understand where this strange animosity was coming from. Hours earlier, before the ceremony he was fine, now that it was over, it felt like he was a different person, slipping into some regression that was a bit too self-destructive for me. “I know you, Benjamin. This isn't you. Can't you please open up to me, just a little now that everything is over?” I pleaded with him.

He finished off the bottle and tossed it aside and sighed. “That's the problem. It's all over! Prox is coming back to life, Lizzie and Thomas are married, the Shallow Bay is operational once again, Burnley is...” He stopped. This was the first time I had heard him mention his son's name since we escaped from the F.E.C. It was a subject that never came up, there were just too many feelings involved with it. “I.. I.. just feel like I am not needed anymore. I am useless.”

Placing one of my hands on his arm, I tried comfort him. Ben showing his feelings like this, especially in public was a rare event. These emotions must have been building up ever since we returned. I had no idea he felt this way. “That’s not true.” I said quietly. “There's still so much to be done around here, Thomas and Lizzie, they will need your support and guidance to help get things organized. And Aaron, he said that they could use a helping hand over there as well.” I sat up, positing myself right in front of him, blocking his view from the fire. “I need you, Ben.”

He reached up and straightened up my bow tie, which had gone crooked once again. “I know you do, Dustin, and I promise you that I will always be there for you, whenever you need me... but I feel like even with this happy ending.. Something is missing from my life, and I can't figure out what it is. ”

All around us there were children playing and people laughing and having a good time when suddenly I sensed someone standing behind me. Quickly I turned around and saw Brock there. The light from the fire was illuminating his face, and I could see that beautiful, boyish face staring down at us. “Oh hey…Brock, I lost you after the ceremony, why don't you come here and sit with us for a while?” I glanced over to Thomas and Lizzie who were watching the fireworks, leaning on one another. Ben sat up and kept his back to us. “I don't think that they are ready to head in anytime soon, come enjoy the night with us.”

“I will.” he said quietly. “But first... Benjamin, I have something for you.”

Raising an eyebrow, Ben turned around to face him. “Hmm? Something for me?”

“Yes.” Brock said. “But... you can't ask any questions about where it came from. Accept it as my gift for you.” He looked right at me. “For the two of you.”

“Sure thing, Brock.”

Brock turned around and went back into the base, leaving us alone for a few minutes. “There's so many questions that I want to ask him.” I said to Ben. “Are you at least a little curious what happened back in the F.E.C. And why he is here now? I tried to ask him, but he just blew me off. Maybe you can get him to talk.”

The expression on Ben's face darkened a little. “No.”

“What? Why not? That place exploded, we went back there, you saw it yourself, there was nothing left to that place.”

He looked at me and I saw sadness in his eyes. “Because I lost my son there, that’s why I don’t want to know.” Ben shot me a angry look. “Just leave him be, Dustin. Leave it all be.”

I lowered my head. I felt terrible. Brock had told me not to ask questions, and I did anyway, and now I regretted it. I should have listened to him. “Ben, I am sorry.”

The sound of fireworks echoing off the mountain filled the silence between the two of us. Brock finally returned with a large, black rectulanger case in his hand. He kneeled down onto the blanket and placed it in front of him, and spoke in low, hushed tones. His words seemed more like a prayer than just casual comments, and they gave me the chills. “Even when voices are silenced, music lives, forever. That it's stronger than death. Stronger than time. And that strength holds you together when nothing else can.” He paused and took a deep breath. “I can't use this anymore, but you can.” Flicking open the silver clasps on the case, he opened it, just as a large firework exploded overhead, illuminating the contents. I looked over his shoulder, straining to see and as my eyes fell on it, I started to weep. Nestled away inside the velvet case was a guitar. This wasn't just any random guitar though. It was a beautiful piece, one I’ve seen a hundred times, black and red, with a tortoise shell body. Along the neck were hand painted Celtic knots, that gleamed brightly underneath the silver strings. No, this wasn't just any guitar; this was Ben's signature guitar. With trembling hands, he picked it up, being as gentle as if he were holding a baby. “The times you lived through, the people you shared those times with — nothing brings it all to life like a song. It does a better job than our own minds can do. Every note is a word, each melody a sentence. Put them together, and they can tell a story.” Brock looked from Ben out into the crowd of people gathered around the bonfire. “Go tell them your story, Benjamin.”

Overcome with emotion, Ben tried to hold back his tears. “I don't know how to thank you, Brock.”

Brock looked at me and smiled. “You already did.”

Standing up, Benjamin looped the strap over his back and placed the guitar in his arms. His fingers immediately went over to the frets, feeling each one of them in turn. Brock reached into the case and pulled out a black and white pick, handing it to him. Ben reached down for it and as Brock went to hand it over; Ben grabbed hold of it and held it tightly. Neither one said a word, they didn't have to, their eyes said it all. Letting him go, Ben took the pick from Brock and strummed it along the strings a few times, walking over to the fire as he did so. A hush fell over the crowd, and everyone turned to look at him. He found the melody right away and started to sing.

 

Carry me all through the night  
I am the last light fading  
Leave all the lost souls behind  
Show me the silence breaking  
And when you're lost and out of time  
I will be right here waiting

 

Looking around, I saw that the children had stopped playing, women leaned over, resting their heads against their men, and suddenly everyone found themselves a captive audience. Lizzie and Thomas made their way over to Ben and sat down in the damp grass in front of him, and others quickly joined. It had been too long since I had heard Ben sing, and I had almost forgotten how completely mesmerizing his voice was. He didn't just perform the song, he lived it. Every part of him was into the moment, putting such emotion and feeling into each word that it drew you in, transfixed and completely lost in the moment. A miraculous transformation was taking place in front of me. This is what he had been missing.

 

And when your dreams return to life  
I'll be forever fading  
And we'll fall behind  
So I'll wait for you  
As I keep your faith alive  
And I'll pray for you  
As we cross the great divide

I turned around to say something to Brock, and he was gone. Cursing underneath my breath, I quickly stood up and looked around, and found him. While everyone else was moving down the hill to the fire pit to hear Ben sing, he was the only person walking away. Something told me that he was leaving for good now. I took one more look at Ben before taking off, hurrying after him. Sprinting at full speed, I caught him at the edge of the clearing, heading out to where the open desert once was. I came up behind him, shouting his name. “Brock, Brock stop! Wait! Don't go.”

He turned around to face me. “Dustin, go back. You'll be missed.”

“Don't go, please.” I couldn't get any more words out, the sprint up the hill had taken all my breath.

Brock shook his head. “It's not a choice, I have to go. You have a life here, a good one, you and Ben both. Go back down there and be with him.”

“What do you mean 'it's not your choice'? There is always a choice Brock. I let you walk away from me twice before and I am not going to do it again. We need you here with us. I need you here...”

Reaching out, Brock placed his hand alongside of my face. “Dustin, you need to let go of this. You are meant to be with Benjamin, not me. That's just how things are. I fell in love with you, and I tried my best to love you, but it wasn't good enough. It was Ben who won your heart, not me. I wanted to die when you pushed me away; I was ready to throw my life away because I didn't think that I had a reason to live anymore. You were the only thing I wanted and needed.” He took his hand off my face and tugged at the silver chain that was tucked into my shirt, pulling it out to reveal his pick suspended on it. He touched the smooth piece of plastic running his fingers over it on my chest. “I had to let you go, to save myself.”

I put my hand over his. “None of that matters. I just want you home here with us, where you are supposed to be.”

“Who says that this is my home?” He shook his head and looked back down to the bonfire for a moment, with a wistful look. “It isn't. I don't belong here.”

“Then where Brock? Where will you go? To another messenger base? Off into the desert? There's nothing out there!”

He pulled his hand out from under mine and looked up to the sky for a moment. His eyes were reflecting the thousands of stars that illuminated the darkness. “There's more out there than you know. If you open your eyes, you will see it too. She calls me home.”

 

Carry me all through the night  
I am the last light fading  
Leave all the lost souls behind  
Show me the silence breaking  
And when you're lost and out of time  
I will be right here waiting  
And when your dreams return to life  
I'll be forever fading  
And we'll fall behind  
So I'll wait for you  
As I keep your faith alive  
And I'll pray for you  
As we cross the great divide

I heard Ben's song faintly down in the meadow below, and it helped to calm me down a bit. I took a moment to concentrate on the words and the melody. To me, ‘The Great Divide’ was about losing some who was dear to you, but never giving up hope; hanging on day after day knowing that somehow, you will be able to see them once again. It was the perfect song for the moment. I started to think about Ben’s words to me after we escaped the base, when I thought that Brock was dead. He told me that I was living in the past, dwelling on something that could never be, and neglecting the present. Now I realized how right he was. Lizzie and Thomas were down there, starting a new life together, Ben and I had been happy together as well, I needed to move on, but I just couldn't let go of Brock, and it wasn't fair... to Ben, to Brock or me. I took a deep breath. “So this is goodbye then, for the last time?” I asked.

“Yes.” Brock replied, moving over to stand close to me. “Before I go, I need one last thing from you, Dustin.”

“What is it?”

He reached out and took hold of both of my hands. “Do you remember the moment in the infirmary where you kissed me and told me goodbye?”

“Yes.” I murmured. “It was a mistake, I should never have---”

Before I could say another word, Brock pulled my hands, catching me off guard and I fell against him, just as he leaned in and kissed me. His lips felt like ice that was melting against mine. My heart started racing inside my chest, pounding furiously and I struggled for breath. I managed to get my hands free, and I pushed against his chest, pushing him away. I didn't want any part of this. It felt wrong and awkward, and yet, I didn’t want him to stop. What was wrong with me? Was this how he felt when I did this to him? It was terrible. I looked up at him with guilty eyes. “Now you know.” He said.

I sank down to my knees into the wet grass. “I am so sorry.” I whimpered. “I didn't know it would hurt so much.” Brock extended his hand to me to help me up, but I didn't take it at first. I simply sat there with my head down, eyes fixed on the ground. I felt ashamed in what I had done to him and understood why he had to leave. Sniffling, I glanced up at him, he was still offering me his hand to help me to my feet, it was his left hand, not his right. I stared dully at his fingers, remembering all the pain he had gone though. I whispered quietly, my voice lower than the music. “You could have could have kept that guitar for yourself Brock, but you didn't.” My eyes met his. “Because you can't play anymore can you?”

He smiled at me. “A small price to pay to get my life back.”

“Brock, I know that you’re going to leave, and I can’t stop you, but can you please answer one last question for me?”

I heard him sigh under his breath. “If I can, I will.”

“Burnley…Did you---“

“Yes, Dustin. I really did love him.” Brock said, cutting me off quickly. “I never lied to you about that.”

I felt like my heart had been ripped out. His words were cold and heartless, and after he said them, all I could think about was Burnley. Brock sounded just like him. 

Brock’s small frame blocked out the moonlight over me for a moment, and all I could see was darkness around him. “It hurts, doesn’t it? To know that someone that you love so much, loves someone else, and there’s nothing you can do about it.”

I took his hand and he pulled me to my feet. There on top of that hill, the last bit of closeness that Brock and I had faded away, leaving only a familiarity with one another behind. I was finally facing The Great Divide, looking deep into the rift that was now separating Brock and I. It hurt badly, the wounds between us were far too deep now to ever be healed. He turned to start walking away again, and I called to him. “I never regretted our time together, Brock. Not a single moment of it.”

Stopping, he looked back over his shoulder. His voice was soft and gentle. “Neither did I, Dustin.” He smiled at me, and with that, Brock Richards, my best friend for most of my adult life, walked away. I stood there, listening to the music below and trying to collect my thoughts. He didn't just come back for the wedding, he came back to make sure I was going to be okay, and for that, I loved him even more. Tucking the pick back underneath my shirt next to my heart, I headed back down the hill to the bonfire and joined Lizzie and Thomas. 

 

Follow the sunlight down  
Cry clear and loud  
Heaven won't help us now  
But it's better this way  
Warm light wash me away  
So I'll wait for you  
As I keep your faith alive

 

As I sat down next to them, Lizzie reached out and took hold of my hand. I couldn't help but to keep my eyes transfixed on the ring on her finger. It wasn't perfect by any means, the color wasn't quite right, there were bumps and gashes that went far below the surface, but all those imperfections made it unique and special. Much like us, it had gone through hell and back, bathed in fire and reborn into something stronger, more meaningful. She leaned over and whispered into my ear. “It will be okay, I promise.” Leaning her head against my shoulder, we sat there underneath the stars and let ourselves be carried away by the music.

And I'll pray for you  
As we cross the great divide  
And I'll break for you  
As I open up the sky  
And I'll stay for you  
As we cross the great divide

The last note of music faded away, and something beautiful happened. Each person stood up, and started clapping. Benjamin looked astonished and a little embarrassed, but took all the praise with a sincere humbleness. Thomas went over to thank him, along with half of the staff of the Shallow Bay, leaving Lizzie and I alone for a moment. “Brock's gone.” I said, trying to keep my emotions in check. “Probably for good.”

“I know.” Lizzie said gently. “He told me that he was leave to go after the ceremony. I am glad that he decided to stay as long as he did. Something happened to him out there in the F.E.C. Base that truly changed him. I could see it in his eyes when he spoke to me. He said that he had to leave again because he couldn’t stay here. I asked him why, and all he said that was that he needed to go home. I think he’s still hurting over what happened with Burnley and is grasping anything he can to try and make sense of it all. I wish that we could help him, but until he finds a way to sort everything out in his head, I am afraid that we’d only be causing more pain for him. He is wrestling with demons that we can’t see.”

I glanced up to the top of the hill where I had left him, hoping to catch a glimpse of his shadow, but there was nothing there but rocks. “But he's out there, alone, all by himself. Doesn't it bother you?”

Lizzie shook her head. “He's alive, Dustin. That's all I need to know. I don’t think that he minds being on his own. He needs this time to himself.” She looked to where Ben and Thomas we stranding, talking quietly, Ben was showing Thomas his guitar, positively beaming with pride. He looked much happier than earlier in the evening. Brock's gift of music is exactly what he needed. Damn you Brock, always thinking of others before yourself. “You know, Thomas once told me that even though Benjamin looks intimidating and very confident on the outside, there is a gentle, fragile soul buried deep within him. He never shows his emotions outright because he's ashamed of letting people see them as a weakness. You need to go to Benjamin, take care of him and help him; he's lost more than any of us. He lost something that he cannot ever get back, his son. Brock can take care of himself now, let him go and go to Ben, be with him completely like you deserve to be. Love him like he needs to be loved, and never let him go.”

Bending down, I kissed Lizzie on top of the head; the sweet floral scent of the flowers she had braided in it comforted and soothed me. “I love you Lizzie.” I whispered.

She smiled at me. “Yeah I know.”

The night started to grow late and the bonfire was shrinking down to red embers. Slowly the guests started to head back into to the base, a few at a time, yawning sleepily, their heads filled with the memory of beautiful melodies. Selene joined us, pulling a black shawl around her shoulders, and together, we all gathered around the fire. Lizzie and Thomas held hands, and leaned against one another, while Selene looked on with pride. Ben had slung the guitar over his back, and reached for my hand as well. His fingers felt stronger than ever, having danced along the strings effortlessly, and I knew that these were the hands that would always hold me, protect me, and keep me from harm. The dying light of the last few flames illuminated the faces of the people around me, people that I called friends. I looked to each one of them in turn and remembered how much they suffered, how much they fought and how much they each sacrificed to be here. These people that surrounded me were more than just friends, they were my family, and Prox was my home now.

None of us knew what to say at that moment, we were all simply content to be there with one another, outside under the stars and twinkling lights. Finally, after some time, Selene broke the silence. “Sometimes, I can see things that have not yet happened. It’s a curse, actually. It's much easier to not know things sometimes. Things change and friends leave. And life doesn't stop for anybody.” She paused, looking at each of us in turn. “I never saw this moment coming, but here we are, we made it. Together.”

Together. Selene’s words stabbed at my heart. We weren’t all here. Brock had left, choosing a life of solitude and endless searching for something he couldn’t find, over me...us. I silently wondered if maybe he would come back someday, and we might find a way to fix things, make everything right between us. I had to let him go for now, but that didn’t mean that I had to give up hope. It’s all I had left for him. My thoughts also went to Burnley. Ben and I didn’t talk much about him, mostly because I felt that it would only upset him, so I avoided the topic at all costs. I could tell that he was upset over it though, even with everything that Burnley had done to us, he was still Ben’s son. Ben had given him every chance to change his ways, but deep inside he knew that he was a lost cause and had to let him go. It was a defeat that he wasn’t fully prepared to cope with. In a sick, twisted way, Ben was forced to choose between Burnley and us, and his decision left him with a deep rooted sorrow that I knew could never fully be lifted off his soul. All I could do was comfort him, and be there for him. I felt Ben squeeze my hand a bit, and I looked up at him, and he motioned to Thomas and Lizzie. The couple were whispering to one another quietly, and I couldn’t help but to smile. One month had passed since we escaped from the F.E.C. base and Thomas had professed his love for her, and every single day their love grew stronger.

Thomas looked to Lizzie. “Are you sure, you want to tell them now?” He asked, loud enough so that we could hear it, and she nodded.

“Yes.” She said, smiling at him. “I think it’s time.” Lizzie took a moment to look around; there were some guests still straggling behind, mostly couples walking together hand in hand back up towards the base, but for the most part, only our group remained by the fire. She folded her hands in front of her, picking at a piece of lace at her wrist and Thomas came to stand behind her, resting his hand on her shoulders. “I…no… we have something to tell you all. We were going to wait a bit longer, but I don’t like keeping secrets from you all.”

Beside me, Selene moved slightly and started to smile. Whatever it was, it was no secret to her.

Lizzie took a deep breath. “I’m pregnant.”

A hushed silence fell over everyone. Thomas nervously looked to us, waiting for our reactions. I stood there, complete dumbstruck and shocked. I glanced over at Selene. “You knew about this?”

She nodded to me. “Yes. I’ve known since for some time now. If you haven’t noticed, Dustin, you can’t exactly keep things from me. I told you a while back, that Thomas and Lizzie were important, not just as our friends, but for the future of Prox as well. This is what I meant.”

I remembered the conversation that Selene and I had which she was referring to. It was back when we were still trapped in the F.E.C. base and she had just saved my life as I was escaping from Burnley. There was a mistake and she accidently shot Lizzie… we were all in the infirmary together. Then suddenly it hit me and I looked back to her, shocked. Selene merely nodded.

Ben walked over and gave Lizzie a hug that put her anxiety at revealing such a shocking secret at ease. “Lizzie, this is great news! I am very happy for you. You and Thomas deserve all the happiness in the world! You truly are bringing new life to Prox.”

“Well you’re half right there, Benjamin.” Selene said with a smirk on her face.

He looked over to her, confused. “What do you mean?”

“Thomas, I think it’s you turn. You’re up.” Selene said casually.

Letting go of Lizzie’s shoulder, he took hold of her hand, not to give her comfort, but to stop himself from trembling. “Not a new life…two new lives.” He said meekly.

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “What? Lizzie…”

“Twins. I am carrying twins.” A sudden spark from the fire made us all jump, breaking the unexpected silence, and the mood was lifted slightly.

Ben left Lizzie’s side and made his way over to Thomas, who was looking a little pale and frightened. Standing in front him, I thought that I saw a look of disapproval on his face, but then, Ben reached out and drew Thomas into his arms, giving him an accepting hug as well. I saw a note of relief pass over Lizzie’s face. “We wanted to tell you all sooner.” Thomas said, as Ben let him go. “But we needed to be 100% sure before telling anyone. Lizzie’s been making trips to Dawn to meet with their new medical officer every week to make sure everything is ok.”

“We’re going to be a family!” Lizzie said happily.

I made my way over to Thomas and Lizzie and hugged them both as well. No one was expecting this news, and I could see that a huge weight had been lifted from the both of them. So much had changed since we had found our way to Prox, and we tried so hard to escape from in, but in the end, this was the place where we needed to be. Everything that we had ever hoped and dreamed of was here, and all we had to do was make the best of it. The air was getting colder, and Thomas excused himself to go stir up the fire and Ben was helping Lizzie put on his jacket and speaking quietly to her.

Seeing Selene standing on her own, I went over to her. “There’s something you’re not telling me.” I said in hushed tones.

“Hmm? Oh you’re just being paranoid now, Dustin.” She laughed.

“You knew that she was pregnant back in the F.E.C. base, that’s why you wanted her and Thomas to make it out of there more than anything…But Thomas didn’t tell Lizzie he loved her until right before we escaped, he was hung up on Ben!”

Selene grabbed me by the elbow and pulled me to the side, just out of the light of the fire. “Be careful with your words. You do realize what you are implying by saying this?”

I felt a sickening pit open up in my stomach as hit all hit me at once. “Oh my god…that’s why you were so adamant about not killing Burnley. It was never about the secret F.E.C. base or the Everything Machine. You wanted him alive because he…” I couldn’t go on. My voice was becoming louder and I didn’t want to draw attention to our private conversation.

“He raped her. Listen to me, Dustin…what happened…happened. I was hoping that this would change him, but it didn’t. Burnley was too far gone; there was nothing that could bring him back at that point. I sent Thomas in on false hope that he might be able to save him, but all I was doing was putting him in danger.”

I glanced over at Lizzie, who was now laughing and giggling with Thomas and Ben. “Does she know?”

“She doesn’t remember it because shortly after it happened, he converted her into a Carnivore.” Selene kicked at a small rock lying on the ground, sending it flying off into the darkness. “There are procedures to follow for the conversion process, but Burnley just didn’t care. Thankfully though, he did seal her memories away. I am certain that she has suspicions, and see flashes or bits of fragmented memories, but she will never be able to piece it all together….and there’s no reason to either, because a miracle happened soon after we escaped.” Selene looked toward Thomas, her eyes filled with a little hope. “Dustin, both of those children are his. They will grow up calling him father. That’s all that matters, that’s all you need to know.”

“You have to tell Ben about this! She is carrying his grandchild!”

A small wind blew through the meadow, blowing Selene’s curls in front of her face. Reaching up, she brushed them away and I could see her glaring at me. “Do you want to tell Benjamin that his son raped Lizzie? We all know that Burnley wanted to punish his father, and was willing to destroy every single person he cared about in the process just to get to him. Go ahead, tell him that he held her down and forced himself onto her, taking away all her innocence, impregnating her, and then changing her into a monster, all in the name of revenge for being ‘abandoned’. You will kill him. No, Dustin, Benjamin doesn’t need to know anything about this. This is the first ray of hope that we have had in months.” She pointed to Lizzie and Thomas. “Look at them, they are happy. Don’t you dare take that away from them!”

“Hey! Aren’t you two freezing over there in the cold?” Thomas called out to Selene and I. “Come over here and enjoy the fire before it goes out, be a part of the group.”

Selene smiled at him, and as I turned away from her, she grabbed my arm. “Promise me, you won’t say a word, Dustin. Swear it to me.”

I pulled her hand off me, and whispered. “You’re asking me to lie for you.”

“Not for me.” She pointed to Thomas and Lizzie. “For them.” 

“I don’t know if I can do that, Selene.”

Selene walked past me, her dress flowing out around her and whispered under her breath. “Just so you know, Dustin. I will do anything I can to protect them…and you should too.”

The five of us sat there by the fire for a long time, talking about anything and everything that we could, unwilling to let the cold or the small hours of the morning chase us away. It felt like this was the end of one chapter of our lives and the beginning of a hopeful new one. Eventually, between Lizzie’s little yawns and the ache in our bones, we realized that it was time that we called it a night. Selene headed back to the base first, and I watched her slowly walk away like a dark shadow fading away into the night. Both Brock and Selene had been trying to tell me the same thing that I needed to stop worrying about things I couldn’t change in the past and move on with my future. 

Thomas took Lizzie by the hand. “I think we’re going to head in as well.” He offered a handshake to Ben. “Thank you for everything you’ve done today for us. It means a lot to me, to us both, to have your blessing Benjamin.”

Ben took Thomas’s hand and shook it strongly. I noticed how odd it now looked to see the absence of a wedding ring on Ben’s hand, but one on Thomas’s hand. Thomas then came over to me, and offered his hand to me. I glanced down at it and then reached out to hug him instead of shaking his hand. The first moment I met Thomas, I wanted to kill him, and now here we were, at the end of all things, finally family. “None of this would have been possible, without you, Dustin. You were the catalyst that set things in motion. If you hadn’t come to us, Prox would be gone now. Words can’t really express how that makes me feel. ‘Thank you’ doesn’t cut it. I don’t know how I will ever be able to show my appreciation for what you have done for us.”

I saw Lizzie leaning on his shoulder with a soft, sleepy look in her eyes. “In the morning, when the sun comes up, go to your window and look outside. See the beautiful blue sky over head and marvel in its beauty and wonder. That’s the only appreciation I need.” I said.

Thomas nodded to me, and headed back to the Shallow Bay following closely behind him, leaving Ben and I alone at the fire. I started to say something to Ben, when we heard Lizzie cry out, startled. Turning around in alarm, we were relieved to see that Thomas had scooped her up in his arms and was carrying her into the base, while she was giggling hysterically. I couldn’t help but laugh myself. After they had gone inside, I walked around the fire and started to gather up some of the discarded blankets that were now damp and moist with dew. I noticed Ben watching me intently, but didn’t say anything. As I approached the last blanket, I noticed that Lizzie’s bouquet was still nearby as well. I picked it up, holding it in one hand, while clutching onto the massive bundle of fabric in the other. As I stood back up, I was nearly knocked over by Ben, who had come to stand in front of me. 

“Oh sorry Ben! I didn’t see you there. I thought that I would take some of these blankets in before they…” He stopped me by putting a finger over my lips. Stretching his arms out, he wrapped them around my waist causing me to drop the bundle of blankets back down onto the ground. I was still clutching Lizzie’s bouquet of flowers in one of my hands when he leaned down and kissed me, with such an intense, overpowering fluid motion that I thought I was going to pass right out. I inhaled deeply, drawing the breath from his lungs into mine, and let go of the bouquet, wrapping my arms around his neck to hold onto him. As the flowers fell from my fingertips, the ribbon holding them together snapped, sending white rose petals drifting out and onto the ground. His lips sang a wordless song of love and devotion across mine, and I moved in closer to him, letting my hands drift down over his shoulders. I felt the hard, cold stiffness of the guitar strapped to his back and for some odd reason, it comforted me. My fingers moved across the strings as his kiss grew more intense and deep, filling me with excitement. I could feel his hands caressing my lower back, moving around to my hips and tugging on the edge of my fitted shirt. The temperature was around the freezing mark, but I hardly felt it, suddenly overcome with an intense wave of heat as his fingers shifted to duck underneath the thin material and seek out my skin. Each, subtle touch from him was like a bolt of electricity shooting down my spine. His lips devoured mine, ravenous and hungry with desire, and I was all too happy to feed the wolf. Letting go of me for a moment, he slipped the guitar off his shoulders and gently set it down on the grass next to us. I looked at him curious. “Ben, it’s late, should we be getting inside?” I asked quietly, hoping that we could continue what we had just started in the privacy of our quarters.

He shook his head and stepped back in close to me. “No.” Reaching forward, he took hold of my bow-tie, which had gone crooked once again and pulled at it, letting the soft, satin material slide away from around my neck and tossed it to the ground. I barely noticed that it fluttered through the air and landed perfectly on his guitar. With a delicate motion, he unbuttoned the first three buttons on the collar of my shirt. “I’ve waited months for this, Dustin. We’re not going in yet.”

I blushed and placed my hands on his chest, feeling the strong muscles lurking just underneath the fabric. I smiled at him. Since returning from the F.E.C. base, Ben and I had been close to one another, with casual kisses, tender embraces and teasing touches, but there was always something stopping us, the unseen barrier that we couldn’t cross. Tonight, something seemed different between us. I wanted to show him exactly how much I loved him, not just verbally but physically as well. I needed his touch. “You don’t mind the cold?” I asked, realizing how utterly stupid I sounded.

Ben reached up and took my glasses off, tossing them aside as well. “I will never be cold again, as long as I have you, Dustin.” Putting his strong arms around me once again, he leaned in and started kissing my bare neck. Each of those kisses grew stronger with intensity and passion, weakening me in the knees, and within a few moments, he swept me off my feet completely, easing my body down onto the pile of blankets and rose petals. Pushing my shirt open, he slowly dragged his lips down over the curve of my neck, to my protruding collar bones and then down to the center of my chest. I reached for him, running my fingers through his dark hair and closed my eyes, lost in the moment. He stopped kissing me and pulled himself up to face me. I opened my eyes and looked at him curiously. “Don’t close your eyes, Dustin.” He whispered to me. “Open them and look above you. Tell me what you see.” Nuzzling his face against the side of mine, I could feel his facial hair scrape across my flesh, exciting me even further. “Tell me what you see.” He repeated.

I focused my eyes on the heavens above me and he moved away from my face again, kissing his way back over my chest. One of his hands unbuckled my belt and opened the front of my pants. I had to struggle for breath. “I see stars, beautiful shimmering stars… they are cascading their illumination down into the thick darkness of night, like pinholes in a blanket, letting the light filter through.” One of Ben’s arms slipped underneath my back, and he lifted me up a few inches. I could feel his fingertips prying deeply into my flesh from behind as he brought my chest up to him, parting his lips and placing them over one of my nipples. His teeth grazed lightly across the sensitive flesh and a moan of pleasure escaped my lips. I swallowed hard. “There are planets up there, beautiful color-filled worlds with deep blue oceans and vast yellow deserts. They hang overhead, suspended in orbit by gravity, a force of nature pulling one body closer to another.” As his tongue lashed over my flesh, I felt his other hand slip down into my pants now, those strong fingers stroking me just as he had done with his guitar earlier. I struggled to keep my train of thought. “Beautiful galaxies and nebulas, each one so alluring and alive with life.” I couldn’t take it anymore. I reached down and grabbed hold of his head, guiding his lips back up to mine and kissing him as hard as I could, almost to the point of tears. “I want you, Ben.”

He broke off the kiss and rested his head against mine. “We once made love under the stars, do you remember? But they were false, artificial stars, a mere projection of wires and light. Tonight, I want to give you the real thing. I want your eyes to be absorbed in all that beauty and light as I fill you up with everything that you have lost.” He placed a hand alongside of my face. “But only if you are ready.”

Then I knew. I knew why he hesitated for weeks. Thomas had told him what Burnley did to me, and the guilt that followed. I took a deep breath. “There was something broken in me, Ben… but you fixed it.” I wrapped myself around him and whispered in his ear. “Far from the stars, where no one knows…” Stretching my arms out and over his back, I pulled at his shirt, sliding it over his head. He sat up, and moved himself on top of me; I could see how magnificent his pale flesh was in the dying firelight. The horrid, pink scars were fading now, and his skin was so smooth and soft that I wanted to run my hands all over it. Curling his fingers around the edge of my pants near my hips, he took hold of the waistband and started to pull them down with excruciating slowness. I arched my back, as the material slipped down of my hips, then to my thighs and was suddenly pulled away. A half burnt log snapped down into the embers and caught in the dying flames, setting my skin on fire with its warmth. Ben dipped his head down low and started to kiss the curve of the bottom of my ribcage while tracing an invisible line of gentle caresses and teasing motions with his fingertips along the inside of my thigh. I looked down at him as he lifted his lips off me and for fraction of a second I thought I saw a flash of amber color in his eyes. I shuddered but pushed the thought out of my mind. This was Ben, not Burnley. I sat up slightly, moving so that I was face to face with him, and reached out for his hips. I could feel the strength and power that he had in his muscular torso underneath my fingers, and I was overwhelmed by it. The fire had roared to life again, and now I could see that beads of sweat were starting to form in his smooth skin, in the dim light, he looked even more magnificent and god like. I kissed him, and as he leaned back slightly, I took the opportunity to mirror his movements and slip my hand down into the inner recesses of his pants. The tightness of the material restricted my fingers as I branched them deep into the folds of fabric, but I was determined not to let that stop me. Feeling me touching him, he took charge of the kiss, pushing my mouth open with his tongue licking at my lips. I could taste alcohol in the kiss, and smell the scent of the flowers all around us. It was intoxicating. Before I knew it, he had taken his pants off as well and our bare, naked bodies were entwined with one another in front of the fire. He stared kissing my neck again, and I took hold of his broad shoulders, pulling him down to the ground. I wrapped my legs around him and leaned back. I could feel the heat from his sweaty, glistening skin all around me. I closed my eyes for a moment, remembering the feeling that I had when I thought I had lost him, and a single tear ran down my cheek. He reached up and wiped it away with his fingers before it even left the corner of my eye. I glanced up to the stars high overhead and then into his eyes. I did not see amber flecks there, nor did I see my own reflection there, but instead I saw love, compassion and respect; everything that made him who he was. I gently touched his cheek and whispered. “I don’t want to be looking at the stars this time Ben, because all I want to see is you.”

That night, the night of Lizzie and Thomas’s wedding; Ben and I made love underneath the stars until sunlight started to spill over the mountains. It wasn’t forced or awkward at all, but beautiful and meaningful. I no longer was living with the guilt that had been living in the back of my mind for weeks, and it felt like a huge relief. I woke up and found Ben lying behind me, with one arm draped protectively across my chest. I looked at his hand, and thought about how wonderful it was, that he could use these fingers to make such beautiful music. It was his form of expression, a way that he could put all of this thoughts and emotions into something and bring it to life with a few chords and a melody. I was so grateful that someone as talented as he was could be in love with me. He might need his music to live, but I needed him. I noticed that we were lying on the ground, covered in blankets and rose petals. In our passionate embraces of love making, we had crushed Lizzie’s bouquet. I reached out and slipped my glasses on, and then picked up one of the white petals that were scattered around. Holding it between my fingers, I stared at it, letting my thoughts drift off for a moment. I wanted to tell him about Lizzie, about one of the babies possibly being his grandson. He had a right to know.

I felt his lips on the back of my neck. “Ben. Can I tell you something?”

He shifted underneath the blankets, moving so that I could rest my head against his chest. His hand went down over my chest and he started to swirl his fingers up and down my torso. “Say anything you want, Dustin.”

The fire in front of us had died down now, reduced to black coal and ash. There were small tendrils of smoke still slipping out from beneath some smoldering pieces of wood. I looked up from the fire to the Shallow Bay base on the hill high above us. It was still early morning, but people were beginning to stir, bringing it to life. We would have to leave the solace of our private meadow soon and rejoin the ranks. Lizzie and Thomas would be waking up shortly, eager to start the first day of their married life together. What would happen if I told Ben? Would it change anything? How would it make Lizzie feel? Sighing to myself, I chose to keep the secret to myself. I couldn’t do that to her. I turned around and smiled at Ben, holding up the rose petal. “I think that we destroyed Lizzie’s bridal bouquet.” I laughed, trying to lighten my own brooding mood.

Ben took the petal from me and tickled my nose with it. “It wasn’t hers anyway, you caught it, remember? It’s yours. You’re the next to be married, tradition says so.”

I batted his hand away. “Yeah, right.” I scoffed.

He fell quiet for a moment. “We could, I mean… if you wanted to.”

I turned around, half expecting to see a joking smile on his face. It wasn’t there. He was deadly serious. “Ben---are you asking me to marry you?”

There was the sound of footsteps near us, and suddenly Thomas walked into the meadow. Spotting Ben and I underneath the blankets with our clothes carelessly thrown aside, he cleared his throat and looked away. “Oh ugh… sorry I didn’t mean to disturb. I just came down here to make sure that the fire was put out properly last night and…” He paced back and forth, running his hand through his dark curls of hair.

“It’s alright Thomas. We will take care of it. You can go back to the base. Go make Lizzie some breakfast. We will be up in a few moments.” Ben said, trying to hide the amusement in his voice.

Thomas scurried off, and Ben stood up, letting the blanket fall off his body and stretching while I clutched mine to me, looking around for my clothing. “Ben, what are you doing, Thomas is still right over there! He can see you.”

Ben shrugged and pulled on his pants, while I quickly got dressed underneath the blankets. “It’s nothing he hasn’t seen before.”

I scowled at him, as I picked up my bow-tie and tried to tie it with fingers that weren’t quite awake yet. Ben gathered up his guitar and slung it over his back. The horizon was painted with bright red and amber colors that perfectly silhouetted his frame and I couldn’t take my eyes off of him. Turning around, he reached out and offered me a hand, pulling me to my feet, and kissed me again. I could live a lifetime of happiness feeling those lips on mine. Lacing his fingers together with mine, we slowly walked around the fire, on our way back to the Shallow Bay when he suddenly stopped. “What’s wrong?” I asked, clutching at his arm.

I followed his gaze down to the fire, and then looked at him curiously. During the night, his eyes had changed color once again, and now they were the deepest, most intense gray green I had ever seen. The colors swirled and interlaced together so brilliantly that I thought I that I was looking at an entire galaxy there in his eyes. A chill ran down my spine. Ben pointed toward the fire. “It started off with only a small spark a little thing really, a tiny flash of light and then exploded into ball of flame, consuming everything around it, until eventually, it became so intense that it burned itself out. All that is left is embers now.”

“Is that symbolic for something?” I asked, trying hard to follow his train of thought.

He shook his head. “No. Not really…but it would really be a neat title for an album.”  
\-------------------------------------------------Afterword---------------------------------------------------------------

A lot happened in the years that followed. Prox had undergone a massive transformation for both good and bad. With the Everything Machine destroyed by Aaron and Dawn, the ecosystem was starting to come back online, however, so were massive atmospheric changes that led to very unpredictable weather patterns. Floods were followed by massive droughts, and the people living in the surrounding areas often found themselves coming to the Shallow Bay for help.

Thomas kept everything in check, and worked with Aaron in monitoring the planet until it could finally stabilize and develop somewhat of a normal weather pattern. If an extreme weather event occurred, he saw to it that the people were taken into the Shallow Bay and given shelter, food and water for as long as they needed it. He had grown so much as a person since when I first met him that for the first time, I was glad that I was wrong about him. He calmly talked things out, and always listened to other people’s suggestions and ideas.

Lizzie was at his side, assisting whenever she could and taking care of the smaller things so that he wouldn’t be so overwhelmed. Eventually though, she became ill due to the pregnancy and had to be bed ridden. She had gotten sick quickly, and even the doctors from Dawn couldn’t figure out what was wrong with her. Eventually a series of blood tests revealed that she was getting sick because there was a problem with one of the babies blood. There were foreign antibodies in it that were attacking her immune system, and poisoning her. The doctors couldn’t figure out where they had come from, and were considering aborting one of the children to save the life of the other. Lizzie refused. More tests were done, and finally it was discovered that the source was Thomas himself. He had been born to two parents from Earth, and exposed to various bacteria that Prox had not been. This bacteria was harmless to him, but when mixed with the blood of a native Prox inhabitant, it had potentially life threatening results. Selene stepped in, and working together with Dawn, they were able to stabilize Lizzie and the baby in time to prevent any severe damage. Questions arose about how only one child could be affected by it, and not the other, but Selene quickly silenced them with some technical statistics and medical jargon. 

Lizzie gave birth to twin boys. She named them Tristan and Benjamin. Both of which were named after their grandfathers, but no one but a select few people knew this. Ben disapproved of the name choice at first, but quickly came around because Lizzie had her heart set on it. Tristan was a outgoing, jubilant little boy with intense blue eyes and beautiful black curly hair. He would often be seen running around the base; giggling and playing hide and seek with Selene, or hanging out in the medical ward, following his mother around. He loved to make people smile. Tristan was exactly what everyone expected Thomas and Lizzie's son to be like. Benjamin, on the other hand, was the polar opposite of his brother. He had pale skin and light brown hair with hazel eyes that if reflected at just the proper angle, looked almost amber in color. A quiet, introspective little boy, he chose to spend his days sitting alone, and often talking to himself. If interrupted, he would lash out violently and then go off sulking on his own, only to return a short time later acting if nothing had happened. Benjamin had been caught several times hurting the other children on the base, and thus often would be left alone for even greater periods of time as punishment. The only time that he could be reasoned with is when he was with Ben. After a serious bought of lashing out, instead of punishment, Ben would take the child outside for long walks around the base, or find a quiet place and sit to play music for him. He seemed to be the only person who the boy could tolerate. Everyone could see the major differences between the boys, but not a single person spoke out or said a word.

Ben and I remained at the Shallow Bay, happy and content. Thomas and I worked together on setting up and deciphering satellite transmissions, keeping a watchful eye on anything that might signal a potential F.E.C. Invasion. There were many more nights of celebrations and bonfires, and more so than ever, as the messengers became our family. Ben also helped Thomas, serving as a silent councilor and personal confidant to him. When things got overwhelming for Thomas, it was Ben who helped him to stay grounded and focused. After the birth of the children, Ben found himself stepping further and further away from helping Thomas make decisions, eventually he would have to be self-sufficient. With extra time available to him, Ben started writing again, and soon the base was filled with melodies and music every single day. Some nights, he would even organize small 'concerts' out in the meadow where Thomas and Lizzie were married. Everything was good…for a short time.

Selene stayed on at the Shallow Bay for the first few years of the boys lives as well, helping with the care of the children, and acting as a nanny when Lizzie had other things to take care of. She was proud of what Thomas had become, and loved spending time with her grandchildren, but she grew weary and restless. One day, out of the blue she announced that she was leaving. When pressed about the matter, she refused to open up about it. Benjamin was adamant about not letting her leave without proper cause. Going against his wishes, she prepared to leave and I saw Ben pull her aside and demand to know the reason. I ducked outside the door, and listened. After several minutes, she revealed to him that she had picked up a secret, coded message from Brock, asking for her help, but would give no more information. Ben argued that the transmission could be false, and wanted to go with her, but she refused to give up the coordinates to him, or accept his help in anyway. Ben ordered her to remain at the base, and in fury, she responded by storming out of the room, nearly knocking me over as she flew by me. Our eyes met for one moment and then she left. Ben never knew I was listening.

I returned to my desk, picking up my pen and started to write again. I was almost out of blank pages, and I knew that the story I was working on was at an end. It had been a very long road to get to where we were now, and I wanted to make sure that no matter what happens that it would never be forgotten. Taking a deep breath, I scratched the last few words down onto the paper and closed the book, tucking it underneath my arm. I walked outside to where Selene was packing a motorcycle and was getting ready to leave. I knew she would be here. I handed her the book and she looked at me, curious.

“Selene. I want you to take this. I don't care what you do with it, just please take it.”

She ran her hand over the front cover, tracing her fingers along the title and looked at me accusingly. “Are you sure you want me to have this?”

I nodded to her. “Yes, because I know that you will know what to do with it.”

Shoving the book into her backpack, she slung it over her shoulder and leaned in to give me a kiss on the cheek, then got onto the bike. As the engine revved to life, she shouted over the engine. “For the record, Dustin…none of this was your fault. The Everything Machine, Burnley, Prox…one way or another all of it would have eventually happened. You might have your happy ending right now, but the world will eventually end; a victim of love rather than hate. For love's always been the more destructive weapon.” Her eyes focused on something behind me and as I turned around I saw Ben stepping out of the base. Before he could reach us, Selene let loose the throttle and took off in a cloud smoke.

“Did she tell you where she was going?” Ben asked, as he watched her disappear off into the distance.

I shook my head. “No. But you know Selene, she always talks in riddles.” Pulling my jacket around my body, I shivered in the cool night air. “I am sure that she will be back.”

Ben wrapped his arms around me, and I turned around to look at him. There was a gray in his beard now, but he still looked as majestic as ever. “Come on Dustin, let's go inside.”

 

Selene rode her motorcycle for two days straight, before finding the rendvous spot on top of the cliff. Pulling off her goggles and gloves, she walked over to the edge and looked down to the canyon below. It was a massive drop to the rock floor below that truly frightened her, and she took a step back away from it. High overhead, she heard a crow calling, squawking loudly, it’s shrill voice almost sounding like a mocking laugh. A few moments passed and then another motorcycle with a black clad driver pulled up in front of her. The rider dismounted from the bike and slowly walked towards her.

Pulling her backpack off, Selene reached inside and slid out Dustin's book. “I know why you want this, but I want you to know that I did not steal it. He gave it to me willingly. I don’t think that he realizes exactly what this is.” Her thoughts went for a moment to little Ben, and the rainy day at the church when she kidnapped him. “I am not a thief.”

 

The rider stood in front of her and stretched out its hands, not saying a word. “By giving you this, you swear to me, you fucking swear to me that you can change things, make everything right?” The rider nodded to her. “Take off your helmet. I want to see your face.” The rider shook its head back and forth. Selene clutched the book tightly to her chest. “Then the deal is off. You aren't getting it.” Pulling a pistol out from where it was attached to its leg, the Rider gripped it tightly in its hand and aimed it at her. Selene stood up straight in defiance. “You can't kill me. If I disappear, there will be questions; I told them where I was going. My disappearance will only draw suspicion, and I know you don’t want that.” The rider cocked its head to the side; it knew that her words were false, pitiful attempts at bravado. Selene’s reputation as a loner proceeded her, and that was the trump card. A gust of wind came up from the canyon below sending Selene's massive curls of hair whipping around her face. Her fingers dug into the cover of the book, just as the rider pulled the trigger on the gun, sending a bolt of powerful energy straight at her.

Selene's heels clicked loudly on the polished floor. The little boy looked up at her with gray-green eyes, holding onto his teddy bear tightly as she cradled him in her arms. “Are we going to go see Daddy now?” he asked meekly.

“No little one, you're daddy isn't here right now.”

“Oh.” The toddler seemed a bit crestfallen. “Mommy?”

She sighed. “No mommy either. It's just you and me now. Together. Forever.”

A blast of light hit Selene right between the eyes, boring a hole through the front of her head and exploding out the back. Her hands let go of the book and it dropped to the ground, where it came to rest in the dust, as her body toppled backwards. Selene felt the sudden, sharp stabbing pain slam into her head, and her vision went dark. Losing her balance the force of the blow knocked her off her feet and sent her reeling towards the edge. Dropping down to her knees, she reached up and felt the first droplets of blood start to ooze from the fatal wound. She knew that she was dead; it would just take a moment for her body to catch up with what was left of her brain. The rider walked over and placed one of its feet on the center of her chest, pushing her off the edge. Selene fell, her long dark coat billowing out around her, down to the canyon floor hundreds of feet below as the circling crows called out high above. Satisfied with its work, the rider bent down to retrieve the book that it had been promised. Brushing the dirt and dust off the cover, the rider lifted up the front part of its helmet, revealing a transparent visor beneath, with three lines of pulsing light streaming across its eyes. A smile crept across his face. The book, which he now held in his hands was titled:

“The Prox Transmissions.” by Dustin Bates.

 

The year 2017. Earth. The first of several chapters of a story entitled “The Great Divide” start to appear on the internet, on a site known as 'Archive of our Own'. The author was Antigravity Carnivore, but on Prox, she went by the name Selene Bell.

**Author's Note:**

> **author’s notes** 
> 
> Once again I find myself at the end of a massive, enthralling story. It’s been almost one year since I started The Great Divide and two years since The Starset series. Both of these stories have been such a great, grand endeavor that I almost regret saying goodbye to them. These characters have been inside my head and part of my life now, for a very long time, telling me their stories and allowing me the pleasure of putting it all down on paper to share with the world. I really do hate to see them go, but as with all things, endings are inevitable, and I have decided that it’s time that I let them go and find their own way in the universe.
> 
> There are a lot of unanswered questions that remain here at the end of The Great Divide, which I am leaving for the reader to decipher on their own, drawing their own conclusions. I’d like to think that Thomas and Lizzie’s children went on to achieve great things, perhaps creating a little drama and angst of their own when a teenage Benjamin comes into his own, Dustin and Ben managed to find a little happiness together, free to love one another without any consequences, the mystery surrounding Brock’s sudden return and the mysterious blond woman is revealed, and Selene’s betrayal and death at the end of the series has a chance to be fully explained. If I sat here and thought about it, I know that I would start to fade out of reality and end up on Prox again, revisiting old friends, so at this point, the story will be left open ended.
> 
> That being said, I am happy to announce that there will be a third installment in this series, which will fall into the Starset/Breaking Benjamin universe and take place on Earth, with the remaining members of both bands. There is no working title at this point in time, but I am sure that summer nights and bonfires will produce something just as great. 
> 
> Now on to the good part! There are a few people I’d like to thank. First would be my husband, for putting up with long proofreading sessions and offering a few suggestions here and there. He was actually responsible for suggesting the character of ‘Burnley’ so I don’t know if I should be thanking him or cursing at him. Next is the real life influence for Lizzie, Liz. She has been my fan fic Wikipedia, biggest fan and a great influence in how the series has been shaped. There have been long nights and crazy theories that we came up with together that have helped to bring these beloved boys to life on page, and for that I cannot thank her enough. Robyn M. deserves my thanks, she also has helped me to flesh out these characters, but in a different way. She is the person responsible for cosplaying my Ben, and always does a wonderful job with it, even when I make her cry with my words. Always. Erin M., our ever faithful assistant and resident den mother who is always picking up after our bloody photoshoots and video productions. She’s the voice of reason (sometimes) when we have insane, crazy idea that lead us into the dark alleys of Lancaster at 2 a.m. Finally, Brianne S. She’s the monster of our series, portraying the darkness perfectly to my literary standards with perfection. 
> 
> Above all else, I want to thank you, the person sitting there and reading this. I write for my own entertainment, and to tell a story that I want to hear, so whenever I get a like, kudos or simply a view, it warms my heart and makes me feel like I am doing something right. I know that this series has been quite explicit, graphic and downright disturbing at times, and it is my sincerest intention that you come away with the one thing, above all else that it is. A love story.
> 
> Please take a moment and give a listen to the bands that have influenced this story, including, Starset, Breaking Benjamin, Shinedown, Project Vela, Gary Numan, Linkin Park, Delta Rae (No Peace in Quiet) Keith Wallen, Poets of the Fall and the Last of Us soundtrack. 
> 
> \---this fan fiction has been fueled by Dr.Pepper and peanut butter M & M’s--


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